There are some really shocking revelations in this -- even, as Sean says, for those of us who already deeply distrust the pharmaceutical companies. One finds out that marketing has even more to do with matters than one probably already thought. That "research" is often written by a "ghost writer" who's had nothing to do with the research and has never even seen it, but who is prepared to sell his -- or apparently more often her -- soul by writing it up in an engaging manner to "show" whatever the pharmaceutical company wants. One also hears of respected names who will put their respected name on ghost-written "papers" that they have perhaps never seen.

Then there's the "revolving door" between the FDA and the pharmaceutical companies. As if that were not enough, it turns out that many drug trials are now outsourced to India or China -- because it's too far away for the FDA to check if the "subjects" even exist. Not that the FDA even always seems to care. One drug trial showed no benefit from the drug at all in every U.S. hospital it was used in, but apparently benefited every single patient it was used on in a Mexican hospital. The drug company rolled all the results in together, claimed it was fairly effective, and sold it on that basis. Did the FDA send anyone south of border to investigate this highly fishy situation? No. And so it goes on. "truth bomb" after "truth bomb" as Sean would say.

One wonders what circle of Hell Dante would have put these people in.

Anyway, something to think about next time you're in the doctor's surgery ...